ON THAT NOTE: How do you boo a legend like Neil Young?

It seems as if every time Neil Young visits Philadelphia, his fans boo the iconoclast or someone close to him. Back in 1990, Sonic Youth opened for Young and Crazy Horse and was blasted while rendering songs from its brilliant but edgy 1987 release “Sister.”

“If you like that, then here’s another one just like it,” Sonic Youth vocalist-guitarist Thurston Moore cracked sarcastically as his band performed to an incredibly hostile audience at the late, unlamented Civic Center.

An angry fan complained to his friend that he didn’t get the connection between Young and Sonic Youth.

Two years later Victoria Williams, who suffers from MS, was the latest opener to get jeered by Young’s fans. Then Young was given grief when he was previewing cuts from “Harvest Moon” at the Tower Theater.

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“Hey, man, ‘Sugar Mountain’ was once a new song,” Young barked.

Well, a number of fans booed Young when he delivered “F&*$*in’ Up,” last week at the Wells Fargo Center, since it was punctuated with five minutes of dissonance (still wondering about the connection between Young and Sonic Youth?).

How do you boo a legend like Young? What’s perhaps most admirable about the 67-year old innovator is that Young doesn’t care what you or anyone thinks. He remains quirky, independent and tough as nails.

Young and Crazy Horse delivered an exceptional show in South Philly primarily full of lengthy numbers, such as the epic “Like a Hurricane” and the terrific new tune “Walk Like a Giant,” which is from Young’s latest, “Psychedelic Pill.”

When Young started rocking, he just couldn’t stop. Who could blame him since he only occasionally records and tours with Crazy Horse, which started to jam with Young back in 1969. There is a palpable chemistry between Young and guitarist Frank “Pancho” Sampedro, bassist Billy Talbot and drummer Ralph Molina.

There was an acoustic break, which featured a gorgeous version of “The Needle and Damage Done.”

There is no one else quite like Young, who remains a tuned-in maverick at an age in which most are on the nostalgia circuit.

While experiencing the show, you can’t help but wonder how long Young will be around. You can catch him tonight at the Borgata since he and Crazy Horse will play a benefit concert with the proceeds going to the Hurricane Sandy victims.

It’ll be a chance to help with a great cause and to catch Young and Crazy Horse in an intimate environ.

Ed Condran is a freelance entertainment writer. His column On That Note appears Thursday in Time Out.